David Valder

David is the Director of Energy and Sustainability at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC). He manages energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, provides input for new construction and renovation projects, and directs the college's recycling efforts. Being part of a community college, David also strives to collaborate with relevant academic departments to bring value to their students' educational experiences.

David also co-founded a small composting company in Charlotte called Crown Town Compost, which he helps run in his spare time.

Quote:

"The Sustainable Development program at App State revolutionized my take on the state of our world. It taught me never to accept things as they are and that if the first answer to my question is the right answer, then I'm not asking the right question. Power relations lie behind everything, and the right answer is never "that's just the way things are." The SD program prepared me to aim high for opportunities with the most potential to affect change, and to create those opportunities regardless of however menial my current situation may feel. It gave me the knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to impress in the "real world" and bring new perspectives to those set in their ways."